Insect trap



Oct. 8, 1929. w: FROST 1,730,608

INSECT TRAP Filed Oct. 18, 1927 Inventor Wi/Z'amf Frost 8W Attorney Patented Get. 8, 1929 WILLIAM M. FRQST, OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON INSECT TRAP Application filed (lctober 18, 1927.

My present invention relates to improvements in insect traps of the electrocuting type, and as embodied in window screens,

screen-panels for doors and other similar structures. In carrying out my invention the wire cloth or screen material of the window 15 utilized as an elect of conducting ma rode and a ribbon or strip terial is used as another electrode, and this ribbon or strip may be used at either or both sides of the window screen. ranged with relati The ribbon or ribbons are so aron to the screen that a fly crawling over the screen may attempt to pass under one of the ribbons. In. such an attempt he fly comes in contact with the screen and the ribbon forming opposite electrodes and is electrocuted by th e electric current passing from one electrode to the other and through the body of the fly.

The invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts in the construction of the screen as will hereinafter be more fully set forth and claimed. In

the accon'ipanying drawings 1 have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention wherein the parts are combined and best mode I have arranged according to the thus far devised for the practical application of the principles of my invention.

Figure 1 1s a pla n View of a window screen equipped with my invention. Figure 2 is a detail sectional View frame showing its through the main window construction and omitting the ribbons or conducting strips forming electrodes.

as at line 5-5 of Figure 3.

tail view of one of Figure 6 is a dothe anchoring brackets for the ribbon-electrodes of the trap.

In carrying out my invention I utilize the usual metallic cloth or wire screen 1 that is bound at its edges within the tubular frame 2 which in this instance is shown as of rectangular shape.

The tubular frame is of Serial No. 226,907.

U-shape in cross section with its open side toward the center of the screen and the screen is stretched and maintained in taut condition so that it can be effective in the performance of its function as one of the electrodes.

For

this purpose the screen is anchored at its edges within the tubular frame by means of spaced anchoring clips or stretcher clips 3 fashioned of flat plates of metal and provided with hooks 4: and 5.

The hooks t are fastened in the material of the screen and the hooks 5 of the anchoring clips are clamped over an anchoring wire or rod 6 that passes around the edges of the screen within the tubular frame.

tubular frame by means of retaining pins '4 r l is anchoring wire is retained in the passed transversely through the walls of the frame and headed as at 8, and of course the wire is passed around the outer sides of the series of spaced pins. When first applied to the pins the wire is normally straight along the sides of the frame, but the wire and the screen are stretched taut by means of the anchoring clips and retained in that position as in Fig.

At one side or at both sldes of the screen an electrode may be suspended and spaced from the screen a sufficient distance to permit a fly to attempt to pass between. the screen as an electrode and the other electrode, but the electrodes are so close as to compel the fly to contact with both of them, completing the electric circuit for its own. electrocution. The suspended electrodes are indicated as 9 and 10, one at each side of the screen-electrode 1 and the relation of these parts is indicated in. Figure 5 where a fly is shown attempting to pass between two electrodes, and another fly is shown falling to the floor after having been electrocuted. These electrodes 9 and 10 are ribbons or flat strips of metal, forming a good conductor, and the ribbons are spaced in positions across the face of the screen in such manner as to trap a fly on any part of its area, i. e. the area of the screen. As shown in Figure l the electrodes are given a zig-zag course from the top to the bottom of the screen and they provide a series of spaced, parallel, horizontal, traps, for the The cross bars of the electrodes as IUU shown in Fig. 5 are preferably disposed at an angle to the plane of the screen so that a fly traveling upwardly over the screen will have a wide opening to enter in the trap, with an exit too narrow to squeeze through, whereby the fly is trapped and electrocuted. The cross bars of the ribbon 0r electrode thus form a number of traps spread over the area of the window screen to intercept flies that may attempt to make their way upwardly on the screen.

The electrodes 9 and 10 are held in their formation by the use of a number of suspending brackets 11 at opposite sides of the screen. As seen in Figure (5 these brackets are bowed to give them resiliency, and at their free ends the brackets are fashioned with spaced lugs 12 that engage the ends of the cross bars of the electrode to hold the bars in parallel, horizontal position, the brackets, of course being retained in vertical position or vertical planes. At the center of each bracket a perforated attaching lug 13 is fashioned and the brackets at opposite sides of the screen are attached to insulated, suspending arms 14 and 15 by means of rivets 16 or other suitable fastenings. The bracket-arms 14; and 15 are secured by means of rivets 1.7 or other farteners at the inner sides of the walls of the tubular frame 2 and these bracket arms are fashioned with shoulders as 17 (see Fig. 4-) to assist in holding the arms in rigid relation to the frame and to suspend the electrodes in spaced relation at the sides of the screen.

It is essential that the electrodes at the sides of the screen shall not contact with the screen that forms an electrode and therefore, in addition to holding the screen taut, and in addition to the taut and semi-rigid position of the electrodes, the latter are prevented from contacting with the screen by the use of insulating guide blocks 18 located at each side of the screen, fastened to the suspending brackets and interposed between the screen and the electrodes. To compensate for expansion and contraction to which the metal ribbons or electrodes 9 and 10 are subjected, the end bars or portions 19 of these electrodes are corrugated, and the corrugations may also extend some distance along the cross bars of the electrodes.

A source of electrical energy 20, as a generator or transformer is coupled with the de: vice through wires 21 and 22 and one end of each of the electrodes is grounded as at 23 on the metal tubular frame of the screen, the arrangement being such that a fly contacting with an electrode 10 and the screen, as in Fig. 5, will be electrocuted.

Having thus fully described my invention What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. An eleetrocuting trap comprising a screen and its frame forming an electrode a second electrode comprising a ribbon of nveaeos T-shaped suspending means for the zig-zag electrode.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

lVl LLIAM M. FROST.

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